Scandinavian Design Group

Hovelsrud - A secret safe to tell

You are such good embassadors to show how much knowledge can be pulled from "forgotten" documents of a property and its garden. Everything from old plans, notes and especially photographs Per-Gunnar Sveen, Fylkesrådsleder I Hedmark (20.08.12)

Challenge

Hovelsrud is a traditional Norwegian farm superbly located on the heart-shaped island of Helgøya, sitting in Mjøsa lake. The owners are descendants of the farmer who built the house in the 1600s, and have turned the farmhouse into a conference facility and eight-room guesthouse. Their ambition is to offer a counterpoint to the many activity-driven competitors in this segment, by creating a memorable stay for guests who seek tranquillity and personal service. The hearts and souls of the two owners lie in the restoration; the heavily decorated interior contrasting with the no-fuss, pink exterior, and the painstakingly-restored renaissance garden.

Solution

The identity created by SDG plays with the surprise element of the sumptuous interior of heavily-decorated wallpapers wrapped in a calm, simple, pink wooden exterior. Hovelsrud wants to make its mark. The restored gardens - a true copy of the original garden plans - have become an important attraction. As the core of the experience being offered, the garden has been given a natural place in the signature - the H of Hovelsrud fitting neatly within the original garden plans.

By constraining the design to using only two colours, the signature and patterns become distinct characteristics - all of which builds a unity that separates Hovelsrud from its competitors.

There are few mainstream applications for the identity, but in return it's the little things that build up its character: apple boxes, a picket fence and warning notice, apple sacks and what is essentially an expanded and highly evocative business card on the web.